Plans for the dam and irrigated land plantations nearby are gathering pace, along with rising repression and intimidation to any opposition.

A policeman reportedly told one indigenous community that the government was, 'like a bulldozer, and anyone opposing its development projects will be crushed like a person standing in front of a bulldozer.'

Those with criminal records over the last ten years are being arrested, and anyone caught voicing opposition, beaten or threatened with imprisonment.

There are also reports of women being raped, and herds of cattle stolen.

Survival International's Director, Stephen Corry, said today, 'The Ethiopian government and its foreign backers are bent on stealing tribal land and destroying livelihoods. They want to reduce self-sufficient tribes to a state of dependency, throw all who disagree into prison, and pretend this is something to do with 'progress' and 'development'. It's shameless, criminal, and should be vigorously opposed by any who care about fundamental human rights.'

The 100 arrested at the end of September were from the Mursi and Bodi tribes.